Discover the new Autumn collection of handcrafted homeware made in the UK from These Two Hands

Discover the Autumn collection of handcrafted homeware made in the UK from These Two Hands

I first spoke to Naomi Evans a few years ago, around the time she launched These Two Hands. I instantly loved the ethos of what she was setting out to do: curating special, handcrafted homeware made in the UK and inspired by the natural world. Her Autumn collection is utterly beautiful and a clear indication of just how far she has already come.

I’ve picked out three of my favourites, including these Shinrin Yoku bath salts

And Winter Solstice candle: which compliments the bath salts perfectly and smells like Christmas in a jar.

My final choice is this seasonal almanac for 2021. I have started planning my seed and bulb growing for next year and it gives me real happiness to know that Spring and Summer are already definitely on their way. So, this almanac would be a lovely way to get more of that seasonal happiness and reassurance. I wanted the 2020 version but never got around to ordering it. As well as developments to observe in the garden, chapters include festivities, natural phenomena and seasonal foods, as well as tides, weather, moon phases and sunrise and sunset times. It also includes folklore and stories, seasonal recipes and much more. Yes please!

I also asked Naomi to share a little bit about the inspiration behind her collection as well as one or two of her own particular favourites.

Handcrafted homeware made in the UK and inspired by Autumn

Naomi: Autumn is my favourite season and this autumn, I chose my collection based on my senses – my favourite things to see, touch and smell at this time of year. I move from jars of wildflowers on my table in summer to bottles filled with meadow grasses and seed heads in autumn, so I asked botanical print ceramicist Julie Reilly if she would make me a bespoke meadow grass and cow parsley seed head imprinted range of plates, berry bowls, soap dishes and platters for the collection. Each one is unique and made using nature, and I love them!

I’m drawn to oak leaves and ferns in particular at this time of year, so I’ve added some new oak leaf and acorn jewellery cast from real leaves and acorns from Bethan Jarvis and some gorgeous new fern imprinted copper earrings made by Botanical Boheme in Dorset, who rolls the fern leaves through a press on to the copper to imprint the leaves.

I also asked local artist Ashleigh Proud to make me some autumnal coloured treetop enamel art and fern cut out art which looks beautiful on the wall!

Touch-wise, now is the time for cosy blankets and warming your hands around a good hefty mug. I’ve added lots of beautiful woodland and berry coloured British wool blankets to the range, woven in a local mill in Wales, and some gorgeous new hug mugs by Liz Vidal in Bristol which really do feel like a hug in mug form!

I’m also drawn to wood in Autumn – for the fire but also in my home with wooden dishes, table trivets and now spoons. Local woodcarver James of Jem Woodcraft has created a bespoke range of These Two Hands wooden spoons, including beautiful little lunchbox spoons, coffee scoops, jam spoons and a special acorn & oak leaf wood butter knife. He used a sage green milk paint for the handles as it’s the These Two Hands colour and combined it with a beautiful autumn leaf red paint to created these unique spoons for me.

To capture the scents of Autumn, I worked with Welsh candlemaker Laura of The Smallest Light to create my own bespoke essential oil blend for Autumn and used it to make lovely Autumn Light Candle. Laura creates beautiful seasonal scented candles and I knew she would be able to make the perfect blend for me using my favourite smells and incorporating the mood-enhancing benefits of the oils too.

I chose Cedarwood for its grounding, stabilising properties, Cinnamon for its warming and energising benefits and Petitgrain for its uplifting calming properties and the fact that it helps deal with change and letting go. I named this candle Autumn Light and I love it. It smells a bit smokey and woody and reminds me of walking through Autumn woodland. My other favourite candle for Autumn is the wonderful smelling, Restore, candle by Betony & Sage which combines Lavender, Clove & Vetiver and is perfect for the chillier, darker evenings. Those candles and my open fire will help get me through the darker winter months!

My other favourite thing at this time of year is to curl up by the fire with a good book and I’ve added a few new lovely titles to my book collection too. I’ve got the beautiful Seasonal Almanac 2020 by Lia Leendertz – my best-selling gift last year. It’s the perfect gift for any nature lover, so the 2021 edition is definitely one of my favourite picks too.